As the title states. I am trying to switch up to 8 110VAC via an Arduino. Can I use the digital out pins to switch 110VAC relays? How would I go about this? What relays are suggested? I would be switching up to 2.5 Amps on the 110VAC side but most would be in the 0.5A range.

Relays are cheaper, but, by the time you add circuitry to drive them, and mount them, the SSRs are probably enough easier to make it worth it for doing a one-off. Especially if you can use the 1A ones at half the price of the 3A model.

True, I could use the half price 1As for most of them....So all I'd need to do is run the output of the arduino to their input and i'd be good to go? No need to worry about diodes and voltage running back from the relay when I switch it off?